Dental plate.



W-M. NORWOOD.

DENTAL PLATE.

APPLICATION FILE'D IAN. 10. I917.

1,275,590. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

INVENTOR WITN ESS-ES ATTORNEY rm; co. Puomuma. vusumawu. o. c

UNITED STATES, PATENT oFFIoE. 1

WILLIAM M. NORWOOD, 'OF GREENVTLLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

DENTAL PLATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM M. Nonwoon a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Greenville and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to dentistry, and particularly to improvements in making dental plates.

The primary object is toprovide animproved dental plate, such as'is used in the roof of the mouth for holding false teeth in proper position, which is equipped with improved means for preventing the said plate becoming accidentally displaced, and which will prevent shifting of the plate and afford the greatest possible comfort to the wearer.

A further object of theinvention is to provide means whereby a dental plate of the character described may be easily and expe ditiously constructed, thus obviating the work and skill heretofore necessarily re quired in the proper construction and fitting of such plates.

With the above objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel formation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a die used in the construction of dental plates in accordance with the invention, the view being on a slightly enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, and illustrating the die shaped so as to be fitted within a mold;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a plate constructed from a die such as that shown in the rial, such as that now generally used for Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 13, 1918. Application filed. January 10, 1917. Serial No. 141,655.

such purposes, and may in any suitable manner be shaped so as to conform to the surface of the roof of the mouth. Upon that therefrom is an arcuate series of cup portions 11, the latter being spaced slightly apart and being adapted also to assist in maintaining the plate in proper position upon the roof of the mouth. The plate is provided adjacent its edge with a continuous V or unbroken depression 12; this depression extending entirely around the plate. As is shown particularly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the dental plate is so constructed and fitted that the upstanding portions between the various depressions or vacuum "cups engage firmly with the mouth roof, and sucking action produced by the wearer within the mouth after the plate has been applied, will create partial vacuum within the various depressions or cups, thereby causing the flesh or tissues in the roof of the mouth to be forced into snug contact with the plate. By constructing the plate so as to provide suction or vacuum cups spaced throughout the entire area of the same, it is obvious that the plate will be engaged firmly with the mouth roof at various points, whereby displacement of the plate is rendered practically impossible, and the chances of accidental dropping of the plate are exceedingly remote. It will be observed, particularly with reference to Fig. 4, that the arc in which the series 11 of cup portions are disposed is open toward the rear end of the plate, so that the removal of air in the sucking action from the central depression or cup 10 will not be impaired.

In carrying the invention into effect, an impression of the mouth is taken or made in the usual manner. A mold or model of this impression is then made, and the die illus trated in Figs. 1 to 3 is fitted or shaped to the model. This die is indicated generally at 13, and is formed of suitable pliable macentral depression 1.0 in the upper surface of the dental plate. Partiallysurrounding this central upstanding portion, is the series of vacuum cup forming members 15, which produce in the finished plate the arcuate se= rib or bead 16, which, in the finished plate,

have' forms the continuous depression 12. I illustrated a second bead 17 111 the drawings, spaced a slight distance from the bead 16,

and this bead 17 extends also entirely around v the edge of the die. This latter construction provides a pair of continuous vacuum chambers in the completed or finished dental plate, and it will be understood that any desired number of such channels or grooves may be made in the plate if desired or found expedient.

The die constructed in the above manner, is placed upon the mold or model and fitted or burnished to the same. The smooth under surface of the die rests upon the model or mold, and the said die may be secured to the mold in any preferred manner. After the'die has in this manner been applied to the mold, the material of which the plate is to be formed is introduced to the mold, and further steps in the process of preparing such plates are carried out.

From this description, it is apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and inexpensive and yet thoroughly efficient dental plate. By constructing the plate by the process or method set forth, it is obvious that the skilful operations heretofore necwithout departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claim.

lVhat is claimed is In a device of the class described, a plate shaped to conform to the interior of the mouth, the central portion of said plate be ing depressed, the said, depressed portion being substantially surrounded by a plurality of spacedrelatively small depressions, and the said plate having a continuous depressed portion adjacent its edges.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.-

WILLIAM M. NORWOOD.

Witnesses: v.

M. E. J ONES,- HELEN STENNER.

toggles of em; patent may be obtained tor'five cents each, by addressing the "Oommluioner of Patents,

Wnhlnztomn 0." 

